Maurice Beatson’s golden run is continuing with victory tonight in the third round of the Bayer FEI World Cup New Zealand league at the Feilding A and P Show.
Aboard his home-bred 18-year-old bay My Gollywog, the Dannevirke farmer finished with a rail in hand over the second-placed Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) and Dunstan Delilah.
The class, held indoors at Manfeild Park, attracted nine starters, none of which managed to finish the first round of the Gary Sinclair (Wellington) designed course without faults.
Beatson and My Gollywog was one of four in the field with four faults after a bit of a stumble between jumps saw them loose momentum. Also on four were Tim Myers (Hawera) and Pick Me NZPH in their first ever world cup start, along with McVean and Delilah and Bernard Denton (Feilding) on Horsesports Suzuki.
“I was pretty keen to go clear in that second round,” said Beatson. “It was a nice course out there, but some horses just can’t handle jumping indoors.”
Beatson went clear in the second round, as did Lucy Akers (Opiki) and Cortaflex Tinapai, who were carrying 12 faults through from their opening round. Luke Dee (Ocean Beach) and Ombudsman picked up four, as did Denton. McVean added four to her opening four, with Myers adding eight to his tally.
“Gollywog has been jumping very well and we’ll take those winning opportunities when they come,” said former Olympian Beatson.
He plans to rest Gollywog for the next world cup round, which is in Taupo mid December, and bring him back for the next round in Dannevirke in early January.
Beatson’s win gives him a comfortable 15 point buffer over the second place Denton in the series. The winner of the series has the opportunity to travel to Sweden to compete in the world cup final, but Beatson, who has represented New Zealand at a world final, says he wouldn’t make the trip if even if he did win.
‘It’s a very long way to Gotenburg and still pretty cold at that time of year,” he says. “I’ve been there to watch before, and it is lovely, but it’s really a difficult task to ask a horse to go all that way for the final.”
Results -
Bayer FEI World Cup NZ league (round three): Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) My Gollywog 1 Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Delilah 2, Bernard Denton (Feilding) Horsesports Suzuki 3, Tim Myers (Hawera) Pick Me NZPH 4, Lucy Akers (Opiki) Cortaflex Tinapai 5, Luke Dee (Ocean Beach) Ombudsman 6.
Bayer FEI World Cup overall standings (after three rounds): Maurice Beatson 39 points, Bernard Denton 24, Katie McVean 18,, Ross Smith 13, Simon Wilson 12, Luke Dee 11.
Horse Grand Prix: Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Zimorena 1, Bernard Denton (Feilding) Horsesports Suzuki 2, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Bessette 3, Luke Dee (Ocean Beach) Ombudsman 4, Rachael Bentall (Hastings) Kiwi Brave 5, Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Delilah 6.
Young Rider: Jesse Linton (Hastings) Bessette 1, Caitlin Pemberton (Palmerston North) Fibre Fresh Popoloca 2, Melody Matheson (Hastings) Scottish Lad 3, Hannah Burnett Grant (Taupo) Ngahiwi Telephonic 4, Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) Casali 5, Lily Tootill (Karaka) Ngahiwi Cruise 6.
Pony Grand Prix: Emily Fraser (Takapau) Tony the Pony 1, Emily Fraser (Takapau) Tiger Tale LS 2, Nakeysha Lammers (Whangarei) 3, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Kabo Silver 4, Rebecca Porter (Hastings) Chobidong 5, Melanie Weal (Te Awamutu) Hopeful Illusion 6.
Caledonian Amateur Rider: Kelly Smith (Palmerston North) Summer Solei 1, Merran Hain (Gisborne) Untouchable 2, Nicole McGee (Levin) Tom Collins 3, Jo Andrews (Otaki) Extacy 4, Pearl Delaney Girdlestone (Waikanae) Styletto 44 5, Kaylene Dudding (Napier) Misty Mermaid 6.
STH Pro Amateur rider: Brooke Zander (Waipukurau) Double J Rumours 1, Douglas Thomson (Wellington) Marksman Arrow 2, Pearl Delaney Girdlestone (Waikanae) Windale Gracious 3, Helen Bruce (Palmerston North) Repent 4, Savannah Larsen Church (Turangi) Midway Whisper 5, Tracy Horton (New Plymouth) HS Licorice Twist 6.
Kiwispan Junior Rider: Rebecca Porter (Hastings) Mr Harrison 1, Will Moffett (Hastings) Dark Vader 2, Melody Matheson (Hastings) Cheltenham 3, Melanie Weal (Te Awamutu) Cross Your Heart 4, Nakeysha Lammers (Whangarei) Cloud Nine 5, Harry Duncan (Hunterville) Chrialka Dettori 6.
Seven Year Old Series: Anna Parsons (Hastings) Troy LS 1, Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) Kapattack 2, Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) Finetto 3, Lucy Akers (Opiki) Cortaflex Hades 4, Brooke Zander (Waipukurau) Double J Rumours 5, Savannah Larsen Church (Turangi) Midway Smooth Dude 6.
Mitavite Six Year Old Series: Katharine Gillaly (Palmerston North) High Five, Luke Dee (Ocean Beach) True Blue NZPH, Sally Clark (Dannevirke) Victoria’s Secret, Luke Dee (Ocean Beach) Tax Blues NZPH, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Kiwi Sunray =1.
Fernhill Stud Five Year Old Series: Savannah Larsen Church (Turangi) Sole Low, Jo Andrews (Otaki) Sir JK, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Mandalay Cove, John Maclennan (Waipukurau) Ngahiwi Horse 68, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Clearwater, Ashley Hart (Hastings) Kiwi Spring, Luke Dee (Ocean Beach) Urban Blue NZPH =1.
